Lawsuit Materials: FBI Allegedly Opened 127K Assessments Without Evidence Since 2018

Is the FBI abusing surveillance powers to target Americans or have reforms effectively protected civil liberties?

Published 13 hours ago

Lawsuit Materials: FBI Allegedly Opened 127K Assessments Without Evidence Since 2018

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Above: The FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 6, 2026. Image credit: Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images

The Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The FBI opened roughly 127,000 assessments without any criminal predicate for six years, allowing agents to illegally bypass constitutional protections. These assessments targeted over 1,100 religious figures, journalists, political candidates and public officials, with nearly half converted to full investigations that permit wiretaps and intrusive surveillance. This is an egregious violation of the Constitution that must be remedied promptly.

Reason.com Cato

Pro-establishment narrative

Recent reforms to FBI querying practices have dramatically reduced noncompliant searches, with most remaining violations stemming from administrative errors like typos rather than intentional abuse. The improvements demonstrate that rigorous internal controls and multi-level oversight work effectively to protect civil liberties while preserving critical investigative tools. Continued monitoring ensures any future compliance issues are quickly identified and fixed.

Trump Department of Justice